Napoleon and Voltaire

Abstract

In article the question of influence of Voltairian ideas on Napoleon’s world outlook is considered. How possible to judge by the remained certificates of contemporaries and own Napoleon’s records, Voltairian tragedies and “Experience about customs and spirit of peoples” (of which Napoleon did extracts) were not bad known to the young officer bearing garrison service. For Napoleon, when he reached tops of political power, Voltaire remained to be interesting, and not only as the historian. Conversations which Napoleon held with his inconsiderable in number environment in the years of exile on the island of Saint Helena quite often concerned Voltairian tragedies. The Voltairian theater became an object of constant criticism which should be perceived, first of all, in the context of changed Napoleon’s relation to the Age of Enlightenment ideals in general. At the same time, side by side with criticism Napoleon stated a great praise to Voltairian “Oedipus” more than once.

Corsican patriot, republican close to montagnards, dictator. What in Voltaire’s creativity could attract invariable interest of this person at all stages of his life? Of course, Napoleon was impressed by sublime maxims about a debt, honor, virtue. Introduced in “Oedipus” idea that great warriors “are equal to monarchs” corresponded to his internal beliefs. Napoleon’s judgments of religion directly demonstrate that the prisoner of the island of Saint Helena continued to share many ideas, received by him from Enlightenment philosophy. He reproached priests in orientation to earthly goods. Have been convinced of existence of God, he at the same time didn’t hide that he always considered religion as important political means which should use skillfully by the ruler for giving stability to the state.